title: Beam deflection measurement of time and polarization resolved ultrafast nonlinear refraction.
abstract: We modify the well-known photothermal beam deflection technique to study ultrafast nonlinearities. Using phase-sensitive detection we directly measure the temporal and polarization dynamics of nonlinear refraction (NLR) with sensitivity to optically induced phase changes of approximately λ/20,000. We use the relative polarization dependence of excitation and probe to separate the isotropic and reorientational components of the NLR.
authors.forename: Manuel R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ferdinandus
authors.forename: Honghua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hagan
authors.forename: Eric W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Van Stryland